Acoustical ceiling construction



A ril 23, 1957 a. c. ADAMS 2,789,321

ACOUSTICAL CEILING CONSTRUCTION Filed July 18, 1955 INVENTOR 56 C Hid/n15.

United States Patent ACOUSTICAL CEILING CONSTRUCTION George C. Adams, Detroit, Mich. Application July 18, 1955, Serial No. 522,553

6 Claims. c1. 20-4 This invention relates to new and useful improvements in accoustical ceiling constructions.

It is conventional to make acoustical ceilings from preformed perforate sheet metal pans. In practice, the pans are suspended from hangers generally referred to in the trade as T-bars. Sound deadening pads usually are placed in the pans and the pads are spaced above the pans by a Wire grid so that the perforations in the pans are not closed when the ceiling is painted.

In this type of ceiling construction a diflicult situation arises at the juncture of the ceiling with the walls. The outermost ceiling pans almost never fit exactly at the walls, and where this condition obtains it is necessary to cut and fit these pans on the job. The pans are made from relatively light guage sheet metal, and the cut edges of the pans tend to warp or buckle. Usually, the cut edges of the pans are supported on angles or channel members attached to the wall, and any wrinkling or buckling of the pans produces unsightly gaps between the pans and the supporting flanges.

In order to overcome this condition it has sometimes been the practice to cut back the side flanges of the pans to form a projecting lip along the cut edge thereof and then bend the lip upwardly by means of a metal brake to provide an upstanding stiffening flange. Alternatively, workmen sometimes fit and nail a wooden block in the cut end of the pan. However, both of these expediencies have been generally unsatisfactory for the reason that they are time-consuming and therefore inordinately expensive. The job of preparing the outermost ceiling pans in either of the ways referred to above very substantially increases the total cost of the ceiling. Another disadvantage of these procedures is that the pans must be cut to relatively close dimensions in order that they fit properly on the supporting angles or channels. The pans must overlie the flanges of the supporting members a substantial distance; otherwise, unsightly openings are created where the pans come together at the edgese of the supporting members. Actually it is diflicult for a workman to fit the pans properly using the flange forming technique and this in turn causes considerable scrap which further increases the cost of the ceiling.

Attempts have been made from time to time to hold the pans flat against the supporting flanges by generally Z-shaped spring metal clips, which, in the case of the channel supporting members, are wedged between the top flanges of the channels and the pans. However, some buckling or warping of the pans sometimes occurs even when two or three clips were used with each pan. Furthermore, the clips are difficult to insert, and, in practice, it is difficult to get the workmen to use even the number of clips above referred to. Accordingly, on the average, the end results are not satisfactory. In addition, the Z- shaped clips prevent the sound-proofing pads from eX- tending into the supporting channels. The pads frequently have to be cut short of the supporting channels in order to accommodate the clips, and when this is done a dark area appears at the edges of the ceiling where the pads do not extend over the pans. These dark areas also are unsightly and detrimental.

I have now devised an acoustical ceiling construction of the above-mentioned character which incorporates means for holding the pans flatly against the supporting flanges for the entire width of the pans. The outermost pans can be fitted on the job easily and quickly so that the total cost of the ceiling is kept to a minimum. Furthermore, the ceiling is relatively easy to install using the means of this invention. When the instant construction is employed the sound-deadening pads extend well into the supporting channels, and there are no unsightly spots or areas that detract from the appearance of the ceiling.

In the drawing forming a part of this specification and wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view showing an acoustical ceiling embodying the invention and particularly illustrating the manner in which the ceiling pans join the side walls of the room;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical sectional view taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1 but omitting the sound-deadening pad and its supporting grid;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, horizontal sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical sectional view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 2 showing a sounddeadening pad and its supporting grid installed; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 1 and again omitting the sound-deadening pad and its supporting grid.

More particularly, the acoustical ceiling construction embodying the present invention comprises a plurality of formed metal pans 10. Each pan is formed with a flat perforate bottom'12 of generally rectangular conformation and upstanding side flanges 14 and end flanges 16. The pans 10 are fitted together in edgewise abutting engagement as shown in Fig. 1, and the edges of the pans are beveled as at 18 (Fig. 5) to enhance the appearance of the ceiling. Also, each pan 10 preferably is made twice as long as it is wide, and the bottom 12 is formed miwday between the ends thereof with a transverse generally V-shaped groove 20 which divides the pan into two square areas of equal size.

The pans can be suspended from an existing ceiling structure in any suitable or conventional manner. There are a number of difierent ways of doing this and no attempt will be made here to describe all of them. In the particular form shown in the drawing, the ceiling is suspended from a preformed concrete slab 22. Spaced parallel channels 24 are fastened to the undersurface of the slab 22 by expansion screws 26, and the channels are shimmed to dispose the undersurfaces thereof all in the same plane. T-bars 28 extend transversely of the channels 24 entirely across the ceiling. In the particular ceiling construction shown the T-bars fit in openings 30 punched in the channels 24 and are fastened by flaps 32 lanced from the bottom flanges of the channels. The T-bars 28 are spaced apart a distance equal to the longitudinal dimension of the pans 10, and the end flanges of the latter are formed with rolled beads 34 which snap into and interlock with correspondingly formed rolled beads 36 provided in the depending flanges 38 of the T-bars. After the channels 24 and T-bars 28 have been installed, it is merely necessary to snap the ceiling pans 10 into place between the flanges 38 to form the ceiling. Before each pan 10 is snapped in place, however, a sound-deadening or insulating pad 40 supported on a wire grid 42 is placed in the pan. These pads 40 enhance the sound-deadening property of the ceiling, and the grids 42 hold the pads spaced above the bottom 12 of the pans so that the perforations therein are not closed when the ceiling is painted.

As suggested, the instant invention is primarily cone s d w t .the e n hich th li s ie n to the walls of the room. The .nsnal practice is to center the pans between opposite side walls of the room, and ,when is done it almost invariably is necessary to trim the outermost pans. Fig. 1 shows one cor.- s o a ce lin n il u t a the manne in h e the opterrnost pans 19 are fitted to the adjacent walls 44 and .46. fig. Ashows a channel member 48 fastened t the well 46 by sc ws 1- wi h th l e flan her e d tress d below an i u r in l t n to h Pa .19 dash abu t Wa an th upp flange 54 thereof overhanging the pans and their adjuncts. It wil be e ai -y i t erst od in h co n c h similar channel-shaped supports are provided along each wall of the room and that all of the outermost pans .are similarly supported entirely around the ceiling.

According to the present invention the outermost pans are trimmed as required so that they fit properly into the channels 48' and are adequately supported on the lower {flanges 52 of the channels. In each instance, the trimmed dimension ,of :the pan need not be held to a close tolerance, but it should, of course, overlie the supporting flange 52 sufliciently so that the latter provides adequate support therefor. As suggested, the pans are conventionally made .of light gauge metal, and they can be easily cut in any suitable or conventional manner; The preferred procedure is simply to cut the pans straight across by means of a band saw. When the mounting .of this invention is employed it is not necessary to bevel or otherwise shape the ends of the side flanges .at the trimmed edge of the pan as is required in some conventional mountings, nor is it necessary to specially shape or flange the trimmed edge of the pan on the job as is required in other types of conventional mountings. The straight out used in the instant mounting can be performed easily and quickly with a minimum expenditure of time and effort, thus reducing the installation cost of the ceiling at a point where expense has heretofore tended to build up The grids 42 of the outermost ceiling pans can be trimmed easily and quickly with a pair of tin Ships to fit the particular pans with which they are associated, and the sound-deadening pads 40 also can be easily trimmed to fit the pansl Usually the pads 40 are cut with a hand saw using the trimmed edge of the pan as a guide.

A particular feature of the invention is a spring wire clip 56 used to fasten the pans 10 to the channels 48 and to hold the pans flatly and solidly against the supporting flanges 52 of the channels. More particularly, the novel clip of this invention has a horizontal portion 58 and upwardly and inwardly inclined arm portions 60 and 62 at opposite ends of the horizontal portion. The horizontal portion 58 preferably extends substantially the full width of the pan, and it is formed at spaced intervals along the length thereof with generally V-shaped lateral extensions 64 which increases the lateral bearing area of the clip. It will be readily appreciated in this connection that the lateral extensions 64 all lie in the same plane and that all are disposed to engage the pan 10 flatly as shown in Fig. 4. As a result of the lateral extensions 64, the clip 56 is of generally sinuous or zig-zag conformation in plan and the lateral dimensions of the zig-zag portion are such that the horizontal portion 56 covers substantially the entire area .of the supporting flange 52. The arms 66 and 62 preferably are offset rearwardly as at 66 and 68 so that when the clip is inserted into a channel 48 with the horizontal portion 56 overlying a pan 10 as shown in Fig. 4, the a ms 60 nd 52 exte up a d y along a a ains the e t eal web o t e han el. In this connection it will be observed (Fig. 2) that the arms and 62 are sufficiently long so that they bear against the overhanging upper flange 54 of the channel 48. Preferably, though not necessarily, the upper ends of the arms are formed with forward horizontal extensions 70 and 72 which bear flatly against the undersurface of the upper flange 54. The arms 69 and 62 must be bent or sprung downwardly in order to insert the clip 56 into the channel 43 in the manner hereinabove described, and the forward extensions 79 and 72 on the arms facilitate insertion, removal, and adjustment of the clips. The horizontal portions 58 of the clips 56 underlie the pads 40 and the grids 42 so that there is no interference between these elements, and the arms 60 and 62 take up so little space at the rear of the channels 48 that the pads 49 can extend substantially entirely into the channel and for all practical purposes there is no possibility of interference between the arms and the pads.

From the foregoing it will be readily apparent that, after the channels 24 and T-bars 28 have been fastened in place according to conventional practice, the ceiling is installed simply by placing the grids 42 and sounddeadening pads 40 in the pans 10 and then snapping the pans into the T-bars, as shown in Fig. 5. In the case of the endmost ,or outermost pans 16, the trimmed edges thereof are fitted in ,the channels 48 before the pans are snapped in place. Usually, it is the better practice in the case of the endmost pans 10 .to put the pads 40 and the grids .42 in after the pans are installed in order to facilitate insertion of the spring clips 56 which preferably are snapped into place after the pans are mounted. In this instance, the clip 56, grid 42 and pad 4!) usually can be inserted from the side. It will be readily appreciated, however, that the clip 56 is versatile and adaptable in use and, in situations where it is not convenient, can be snapped into the channel 48 first and the pan 10 then inserted between the lower portion 58 of the clip and the supporting channel flange 52 When this is done, pad 49 and grid 42 can be placed in the pan before it is inserted into [the ceiling. Where the pans 10 are trimmed on the side or along the length thereof, it usually is necessary to use two clips 56, one in each part of the pan. In situations where the pan has been trimmed to a dimension less than the length of the clip 56, it usually is possible to adapt the clip by bending so that it fits the trimmed size of the pan. in this connection it will be readily apparent that the clip can be shortened considerably simply by narrowing or constricting the Vshaped lateral extensions 64.

In any event, however, the clips 56 hold the pans flatly against the supporting channel flanges and eliminate any tendency for the trimmed edges of the pans to warp or buckle. In consequence, a ceiling installed in this manner has a neat, attractive appearance. Also, the manner in which the clips 56 fit snugly and compactly within the channels 48 permits the sound-deadening pads 40 to extend snbstantialy all the way into the channels. Thus, there is no discoloration or darkening of the ceiling along the margin thereof due to excessive foreshortcning of the pads as heretofore.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. In an accoustical ceiling construction, a supporting member having a horizontal supporting ledge, means providing a shoulder overhanging said ledge, a plurality of perforate metal ceiling pans collectively forming a ceiling, means detachably holding said pans from above with the edges ,of the pans at the margin of said ceiling resting upon and supported by said ledge, and a spring clip in each of said marginal pans having a horizontal portion extending substantially the full width of said pan and bearing flatly thereagainst for substantially the entire length thereof and inclined resilient arm portions bearing upwardly against said shoulder holding said horizontal portion pressed solidly against said pan and the latter pressed flatly against said ledge.

2. An acoustical ceiling construction comprising a plurality of perforate metal ceiling pans disposed side by side in edgewise abutting engagement and connectively forming said ceiling, means holding said pans from above, horizontal channels along the edges of said ceiling having the lower flanges thereof underlying and supporting the marginal edges of the outermost ceiling pans and the upper flanges thereof above and overhanging said marginal edges, and at least one spring clip in each of said outermost pans each having a horizontal portion bearing flatly against the pan with which it is associated for substantially the entire length of said horizontal portion and resilient inclined arm portions bearing upwardly against said upper flange and holding said horizontal portion pressed solidly against said pan and the latter pressed flatly against said lower flange.

3. An acoustical ceiling construction comprising a plurality of perforate metal ceiling pans disposed side by side in edgewise abutting engagement and connectively forming said ceiling, means holding said pans from above, iorizontal channels along the edges of said ceiling having the lower flanges thereof underlying and supporting the marginal edges of the outermost ceiling pans and the upper flanges thereof above and overhanging said marginal edges, and wire clips in said channels above the pans supported thereby, each clip having a horizontal portion bearing flatly against its respective pan for substantially the entire length of said horizontal portion and resilient upwardly and inwardly extending arm portions disposed adjacent to the web of said channel and bearing upwardly against the upper flange thereof, said arm portions exerting downward pressure against said horizontal portion to hold the pan engaged by the latter pressed flatly against said lower flange for the full width of said pan, and sound-deadening pads in said pans, the pads in the outermost pans extending into said channels and terminating substantially flush with the supported edges of said pans.

4. An acoustical ceiling construction comprising a plurality of perforate metal ceiling pans disposed side by side in edgewise abutting engagement and connectively forming said ceiling, means holding said pans from above, horizontal channels along the edges of said ceiling having the lower flanges thereof underlying and supporting the marginal edges of the outermost ceiling pans and the upper flanges thereof above and overhanging said marginal edges, sound-deadening pads in said pan with the pads in the pan at the edge of the ceiling extending substantially to and flush with the supported edges of said pans, and resilient clips of spring wire in said channel above the pans supported thereby, each clip having a horizontal portion extending substantially the full width of its respective pan and projecting inwardly under the pad associated with said pan and also having inclined 6 arm portions disposed between the web of said channel and said pad, said arm portions bearing upwardly against the upper flange of said channel whereby to hold the horizontal portion of said clip pressed solidly against said pan and the latter pressed flatly against said lower flange.

5. An acoustical ceiling construction comprising a plurality of perforate metal ceiling pans disposed side by side in edgewise abutting engagement and connectively forming said ceiling, means holding said pans from above, horizontal channels along the edges of said ceiling having the lower flanges thereof underlying and supporting the marginal edges of the outermost ceiling pans and the upper flanges thereof above and overhanging said marginal edges, sound-deadening pads in said pan with the pads in the pans at the edge of the ceiling extending substantially to and flush with the supported edges of said pans, and resilient clips of spring wire in said channels above the pans supported thereby, each clip having a horizontal portion extending substantially the full width of its respective pan and projecting inwardly under the pad associated with said pan, the horizontal portion of said clip having zig-zag portions extending in a horizontal plane and said zig-zag portions bearing downwardly flatly against said pan and holding the same flatly against the supporting flange of said channel over substantially the entire area of said flange, said clip also having inclined arm portions disposed between the web of said channel and said pad, said arm portions bearing upwardly against the upper flange of said channel whereby to hold the horizontal portion of said clip pressed solidly against said pan.

6. In an acoustical ceiling construction, horizontal channel members at the edges of said ceiling having inwardly directed upper and lower flanges, perforate metal ceiling pans at the margins of and forming a part of said ceiling, the edges thereof resting upon and supported by the lower flanges of said channel members, spring Wire clips in said channels above each of said pans, each of said clips having a horizontal portion bearing flatly against the pan with which it is associated for substantially the entire length of said horizontal portion and resilient inclined arm portions bearing upwardly against said upper flange and holding said horizontal portion pressed solidly against said pan and the latter pressed flatly against said lower flange.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,630,225 Bye Mar. 3, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 504,795 Great Britain May 1, 1939 879,633 France Nov. 20, 1942 

